


The Final

by kamikaze43v3r



Series: The Final [1]
Category: Bleach
Genre: Fix-It of Sorts, Gen, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-21
Updated: 2016-08-21
Packaged: 2018-08-10 02:51:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,028
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7827508
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kamikaze43v3r/pseuds/kamikaze43v3r
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Yhwach was gone. All their ordeals have come to an end.</p><p>This would be the end to his story, but another was just beginning.</p><p>---<br/>My take on the events after the final battle with Yhwach. Just filling in the gaps and a fix-it of sorts, and something to keep me... rooted.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Final

Yhwach was gone. All their ordeals have come to an end.

The black wisps of Yhwach’s power faded, and Ichigo could feel it disappear. No - some had escaped, but too little for Ichigo to barely notice and too weak to do any damage.

This was enough.

Ichigo exhaled deeply, with the last words of the Quincy Emperor’s speech ringing in his ears. He was too tired to think anymore. The last Ichigo could remember, was the call of his name by familiar voices, as he hit the ground.

\-----

Ichigo awoke to the recognizable warmth of Inoue’s Soten Kisshun. He saw her and smiled, and Inoue - sweet, kind Inoue, who looked so tired and sad until she saw his eyes open, gave him a fragile smile. “E-everyone! Kurosaki-kun is awake!”

Rukia, Renji, Chad and Ishida. His close friends surrounded him. Ichigo caught sight of his father and - Ishida’s dad too? - watching them. The members of the Fourth squad were busy tending to the other casualties. Ichigo wondered how many they had lost, and who were still suffering. He just hoped he’d helped ease it a little.

He was so exhausted.

Later, he heard of Urahara and Yoruichi’s condition. They were in a critical state, and Ichigo had heard of their fight with Askin. He heard about Grimmjow’s hand in it, and Nelliel saving them. Ichigo wanted to see them, he needed to. But Rukia assured him that they were stable, and that they were resting now. Even if Grimmjow was being wrestled to submission and rest by Nelliel. Harribel had been rescued and tended to as well. Nelliel was much more reliable, it seems.

He’d heard of Yachiru’s disappearance, and Ichigo’s heart felt heavy. No one knew what exactly happened, but Kenpachi didn’t mention much and it was expected. For Ichigo, the mischievous pink haired menace was another guilt he’d bear and he knew he’d miss her dearly. She reminded him much of his sisters sometimes, so small and full of life.

The Xcution members who’d made their appearance with Ganju were no longer around. Ichigo had wanted to thank them, but it seemed that they weren’t interested to hang around much longer. Maybe he could seek out Kuukaku and pass them a message.

The Royal Guards were recuperating as well. The last he heard of Ichibe, the jolly monk was in deep discussion with Kyouraku, and soon after, Ichigo couldn’t seem to find the rest of the elusive members of the group. Perhaps they would resume their duties as a hidden faction. Ichigo might see them again, but who knows. He wasn’t keen on Sereitei’s politics and military issues.

“Thank you,” Kyouraku had said, when things had quietened down and everyone was safe and resting. His voice quiet and his smile a distant one, very unlike of the Kyouraku he knew. Ichigo had heard that Ukitake had passed on, his weak body succumbing to the Right Hand of the Soul King. It hurt him when he first heard of the news. The white haired man had always been so kind to him, and strong and dependent despite his illness.

“I couldn’t have done it without all of you guys’ support and strength,” Ichigo tried, attempting not to reveal how broken he felt.

“Yes,” the Captain-Commander said, and he spoke no more, just a firm grip on Ichigo’s shoulder and left him to rest.

\-----------

Life returned to normal - well, eventually it did.

Renji and Rukia sent them off with smiles and thank yous. After what Renji had said to him before he left for his final confrontation with Yhwach, Ichigo felt that a lot of things would change between those two. He felt happy and glad that a good chapter was unfolding amidst all the pain. He knew it would be a while before he would see them again, with all the mess they had to clear, but Ichigo looked forward to it.

Ichigo and his friends, his classmates, involved in the Thousand Year War had a hard time returning to normal life. They had suffered a lot, and such deep exhaustion from traumatizing battles would take more than just a good long sleep to get over.

When Ichigo had returned to school, Tatsuki, Keigo and Mizuiro ambushed him and demanded information. After a lengthy talk, apologies, and even a few punches followed by hugs, Ichigo felt his mind became clearer, and the weight on his shoulders a little lighter.

Ishida was aloof as usual. He resumed life in school as if nothing had happened, but Ichigo noticed the bags under his eyes and his admiration of his bespectacled friend grew tenfold. Ishida was strong, and Ichigo was glad to have him as his friend, even if they weren’t close.

Chad was always close by, his best friend, his immovable pillar of support. Ichigo knew he’d done him wrong in the past, but Chad forgave him and Ichigo believed their bond was unbreakable, no matter what else comes in their lives. He knew that after the war, Chad was even more sure of what he wanted in life. His larger friend had confided in him that he wasn’t interested in furthering studies, and that he was thinking of using his strength as a career. Ichigo had fully supported him, knowing that his best friend would go far.

Inoue looked exhausted when they’d first returned, but Ichigo was glad to see her up and running with the bright smile he admired her for when he saw her again at school. By the end of their last year in school, right after graduation, Inoue had confessed her love for him. Of course, Ichigo knew about it. Everyone wasn’t subtle, and Ichigo acknowledged and accepted her love, but he told her that he might not be what she thought. He knew she had made up an image of him and he knew he wouldn’t be able to live up to her expectations, but Ichigo would try. He was honoured to be the subject of her admiration. She had grown so strong and she could see her strength in her eyes when she told him she loved him. It would take a long time.

As for his family, Isshin had decided to take a long break. His sisters - Karin and Yuzu - had a lot to know about the whole ordeal. Yuzu was in tears and Karin looked angry, and they as a family had a lot to go over, but Ichigo had been looking forward to it. He had always wanted to come clean to his family, especially his sisters and he was glad they were so accepting, even if they were so worried.

“I’m so sorry, Ichigo,” Isshin told him. He hadn’t seen his father so lethargic and even a little haggard from emotion since the battle with Aizen. “If your mother were here, I’d…”

“It’s okay,” Ichigo said, and for the first time in a long while, embraced his father tightly. His eyes were moist as he stared at the poster of Masaki his father had put up behind them, and Ichigo could only smile and feel his heart swell with love.

Everything will be okay.

\---------------

Years went by without much incident other than the occasional hollow attack. The Arrancar in Hueco Mundo had kept to themselves, letting nature take its course. That meant they would take no part in hunting the lesser species of their own kind - that was the job of the Shinigami, and it would also hold up the balance. The zombie Arrancar that Mayuri had resurrected were returned to Hueco Mundo begrudgingly, but they were made unnaturally, so it was unknown how long they would live. Nelliel and Harribel were the official rulers of the Hollow world now, and though the latter wasn’t keen in keeping contact with the Shinigami, Nelliel played a favourable part in keeping their connection civil. Whereas for Grimmjow, it seemed he kept himself out of sight. Though sometimes, Ichigo thought he felt the familiar traces of the reiatsu of the blue-haired arrancar. He remembered the former Espada’s words about a rematch, and thought it was a shame the man became so elusive.

Meanwhile, the Gotei had been reformed and was stronger and more stable, from what Rukia and Renji had told him from their visits. When Renji had informed Ichigo about his proposal to Rukia, Ichigo could barely contain his grin. They deserved each other and Ichigo couldn’t be happier for them. The both of them had gone through thick and thin, and they’d stuck by each other for so long and Ichigo had noticed the amount of care and love Renji held for Rukia for a while now and Rukia had agreed and Ichigo could laugh that their Snow Queen had melted a little.

Ichigo was promptly named as their daughter’s godfather. When he first held his friend’s newborn child, Ichigo couldn’t stop staring at Renji and Rukia’s daughter - Ichika, named after him as some weird joke which Ichigo couldn’t really be mad about - and he wondered what it was like to have his own bundle of joy. He remembered the first time he held his baby sisters, how much love he had for them, and he was sure he would feel the same towards his own child.

He saw the look of longing on Orihime’s face and he felt guilty that he couldn’t return her feelings.

They had dated but they never went further. Ichigo confessed that his feelings for her couldn’t grow any more than just close friends and family.

“I’ve always known, Kurosaki-kun,” Orihime had said with a sad smile. Ichigo wanted to apologize to her over and over again. He felt so undeserving of her love. “I’ve always hoped that you’d grow to love me, but I know that some things are not meant to be.”

It left a gap between them for a while, but time always heal all wounds and their bonds continued to stay strong.

Rukia trained to become Captain of the 13th squad. Chad was on his way to become a professional boxer. It was clear that Ishida was going to follow his father’s footsteps as a doctor, and Orihime had made her own name as a cook, famous for her unique taste.

Ichigo, meanwhile had taken over his father’s clinic while studying in college too. Isshin taught him more, not only medically, but in Kido as well. The older Kurosaki was just glad that they were all together now, and Ichigo was doing well.

He was happy, even more so whenever Rukia and Renji dropped by with their toddler. His desire to be a parent was growing each time he saw her. By this time, Ichigo was sure he wouldn’t find someone he could live and love romantically, but he wanted a child. He’d confided in Orihime, who had become a very close friend and who’d look out and dote his younger sisters. She had become almost like their older sister by now.

“I don’t mind being a surrogate for you,” Orihime offered with a smile.

“But-!”

“Don’t be mistaken, Ichigo. I still love you, but you’re like my brother now. And I really don’t mind,” she said, her eyes fiercely determined, and it was enough for Ichigo. He thanked and hugged her, filled with gratitude.

Ichigo never got married, and so did Orihime, but she was happy to aid Ichigo and his family in bringing another bundle of joy in their life. And many months later, another of the Kurosaki line was born into the world and Ichigo almost broke down seeing the familiar traits of his mother on his child’s features. The orange hair and warm brown eyes. The bright warmth in his smile as his tiny hands reached up for him.

He named his son ‘Kazui’, naming him after his friends’ collective courage in the ordeals they’ve shared and fought together.

With this, Ichigo felt complete. The weight on his shoulders had lessened with the love and care and support his friends and family had given him. And he couldn’t feel any more grateful and happy.

This would be the end to his story, but another was just beginning.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you, Kubo-sensei for giving us such a wonderful work with even more wonderful characters. I know how disheartening it must be after 15 years of hard work and success, only for it to be cut short undeservingly. I will support you always.
> 
> (Kazui 一勇, meaning 'one courage'; Ichika 井苺花, meaning 'well', 'strawberry' and 'flower')


End file.
